Final Thoughts on the Real Food Challenge

Whew! No posts all week? Geez, Meg, what's up with that?! Things have been weird getting back into the post-vacation routine, plus the hubs came down with another nasty illness. So, just, craziness. I'm hoping to get back on a schedule of at least twice weekly posting next week!

Anyhoo, this is our LAST POST about the "14-Week Real Food Challenge"!!! Let's all breathe a huge sigh of relief, 'kay? 

In all honesty, our last week wasn't quite a failure...but we didn't adhere 100%. It was all about eating items with 5 ingredients or less, so half the battle came in finding a locally-produced, 5-ingredient Italian bread (which you can honestly use for just about anything). We did, admittedly, go out to eat once, and I haven't felt much like making huge meals if Dave's stomach can't handle it, so one night involved store-bought (organic) chicken soup. And crackers. None of which had less than 5 ingredients. Far from it. *sigh*

But, in general and for the most part, we actually did pretty well considering our lack of focus. I'd say that at least two meals a day were within the limit, some days more. So, yeah. Not a horrible week.

So, now that we're done, I thought I'd share some of the things I've learned as well as the things we'll definitely take away into our future eating habits. Ready?

- Without planning, you WILL spend your child's college fund in food. You just will. And I have. Gotta get back to this a bit more, but planning a general idea of what you want to eat for the entire week (breakfast and lunch included) was tremendously helpful to me (and my wallet). I always left room for adjustment - like when I had chicken down on my grocery list but natural pork tenderloin or organic ground beef was on sale, I'd switch the plan - and would sometimes shift the day we'd eat a particular meal, so we weren't sticklers. But, this is definitely a big help in not using up your savings. ;-)

- We're not whole wheat people. I made whole wheat pancakes, whole wheat muffins, whole wheat cookies, whole wheat bread...everything. But, I discovered that Dave wasn't a huge fan and, sometimes, neither was Hadley...OR me. So, while I love a good whole wheat bread (and found the perfect one! - yes, store-bought), this part of the challenge won't be coming along for the ride in the future. The fact that I cook with an organic flour helps, and I may still find a "white whole wheat" flour to try out.   

- Something that works for someone else won't always work for you and your family. Take, for example, Larabars. I. Hated. Them. Everyone involved in the challenge LOVED these. So, yeah. It is what it is.

- We're an 80/20 family. At least, I'm an 80/20 person, and I know Dave only followed along with this thing (like a trooper, I might add) to try it out. I think that I'm, in general, this type of person; I can't give something up 100%, but if you give me a bit of leeway to "cheat" or not be hard on myself, I succeed very well. So, while I'd say that we usually lean more to the 80-90% range, the 80/20 rule of "80% organic/natural/non-processed foods to 20% of less healthy foods" is okay. (When I say "less healthy" I actually mean non-organic {like the nuts we buy}, processed {like organic granola bars or traditional croutons}, and the rare-but-okay meal out at a restaurant or family's house.)    

Aaaaaand, my biggest takeaway of the whole shebang is simple but one we all can do...

- More fruits and veggies. Again, I haven't been counting my servings like in the beginning of the challenge (I should do that again, hmm), but they tend to be cheaper in organic form and definitely had me feeling healthier when I adhered to upping their intake. This is by far the one thing I hope to maintain for some time to come.

So, am I glad we did it? Definitely. Were we perfect? Nope. But, I am proud of some of the sacrifices we undertook and, as a whole, the experience was very cool.

Real Food Challenge - Week #14

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Last week this week, yay!!!

Review of Week #13: This week was all about eating zero artificial ingredients. While we went out once or twice, all other meals and snacks were completely on-track. This is something we try to live up to, in general, but not 100%. Kind of like how we hit up Uno's for a treat with the little guy this week. Not complete, but perfectly acceptable to me. :-)

Week #14 Challenge: Our final week will be an interesting one, entailing eating nothing with more than FIVE ingredients (although a meal doesn't count, as I see it). In other words, when you read the packaging, no matter the ingredients, there can't be six or more.

However, we're taking it a little more seriously. Clearly, we're hoping the ingredients are all real. So, it's kind of a combination from last week, but more challenging. At least we found a delicious 5-ingredient local bread!

Next week, I'll check in about how we did and some of our take-aways from the past 14 weeks (holy crap). For now, here's our meal plan:

Breakfasts: oatmeal w/berries; rice cereal; toast w/ peanut butter; yogurt parfait; eggs and toast; homemade pancakes

Lunches: PBJ; homemade soup; leftovers!

Snacks: yogurt w/fruit; fruit; carrot sticks; homemade banana muffins; home-popped popcorn

Dinners: Pasta w/homemade sauce; homemade chicken fingers w/veggies; grilled chicken on salad; grilled steak sandwich; homemade soup and sandwich; breakfast for dinner

Real Food Challenge Week #13

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Review of Week #12: Fail. Complete fail. No do-over necessary; just accepting the "F". Since Lisa wrote that she didn't expect everyone to follow the "zero sugar, even natural" rule for the entire week, and to just become aware of how much sugar is in stuff, I suppose I could say we succeeded in becoming aware. But, seriously. I failed so hard I ate ice cream mid-week...and I don't eat ice cream much AT ALL (like, once during the winter maybe, then kick it up a bit in the summer, but that's it). So, yeah. I'd say if you added the random snack here or there that I made sugarless and the fact that almost every lunch and dinner had no sweetener, we did okay. But, in my heart of hearts, I know I failed.

We failed so hard that we ordered meals in. Twice. Between the illness in the family and my absolute lack of willpower, we got a pizza one day and actual "meals" another. We never do that. (At least we were supporting a local business, but it's by no means "local" food.) Perspective-wise, though, we haven't had McDonald's in over three years (H has NEVER had it), so I guess I shouldn't beat myself up too badly. Right? RIGHT?

Let's move on, shall we?

Week #13 Challenge: This week involves eating nothing artificial or unnatural whatsoever. This includes things that were created in a science lab over the last, say, century or so. For the most part, we're okay on this, except for the random granola bar or maybe cracker (although I might just have a brand that has all understandable, real ingredients - woohoo!) or organic gummies for Easter. I actually think Easter will be an "off limits" day, but the food will mostly be whole with the meals 'n stuff.

Oh, and H and I are on vacation this week and Dave will be done with his show, so meals will be a little looser and less structured. Yay!

And then we're on to week #14 and a review of the whole thing! I'm sure we're all kinda glad to see it end, but it opened my eyes in some ways (and in others just cemented our beliefs, for better or worse).

Here's our meal plan for the week (sorry no fancy graphic):

Breakfasts: oatmeal, toast w/pb or butter, fruit, yogurt, eggs, homemade pancakes
Lunches: Leftovers, salads, homemade soup, sandwich  
Snacks: Homemade popcorn, fruit, yogurt w/fruit, veggie sticks & hummus, cheese
Dinners: Pasta w/chicken, homemade pizza, paninis/grilled cheese; potato soup; homemade pizza; homemade chicken fingers; marinaded chicken breasts w/rice & veg    

Real Food Challenge - Week #12

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

Review of Week #11: This past week has all about "going local." I totally love the idea of it. While the suggestion was originally to eat one local thing per meal, it was far too challenging for many of us still dealing with cold temps and snow flurries (our CSAs and full-time farmers' markets don't start until May, and even them tend to have slim pickings). So, "at least once a day" it was. We hit up an indoor FM Saturday morning, which saved our bums. Local, grassfed beef made a stew that lasted us Sunday and Monday, locally milled and baked bread (sourdough, mmm) helped with breakfasts, eggs fit the bill several ways, and some local spinach and onions helped localize our salads.

I'd love to try this throughout the summer months! A fun challenge to eat as much local food as possible. ;-)

Week #12 Challenge: Well, we only have a few weeks left and, of course, the challenges are mounting. Next week is all about eliminating ALL SUGARS, whether naturally occurring or not (even maple syrup and honey, which have been my saving grace). I've decided to opt Hadman out of this one since he doesn't eat "sugary" foods on the average (zero candy, maybe a little in his organic cereal bars yogurt unless I'm packing it with maple syrup). I don't need to put him through the misery.

While we were actually told that we didn't HAVE to do the whole week (suggesting that we try a couple of days and just recognize how challenging it can be to find ANYTHING without sugar), we're going to try our best to see how much we can do. This will be relatively easy for my husband, but darn near horrible for me. I'm pretty sure I have a "sweetener addiction" (not necessarily straight sugar since honey and maple syrup have worked fine for me), and I don't quite feel ready to say "goodbye" forever. I'm sure I'll feel healthier...but I may feel hungrier, which definitely never helps the situation.

I'll be trying naked herbal teas, toast for breakfast...but my favorite snack of the day (whole plain yogurt which I usually add berries and maple syrup to) will sacrifice and, dare I say, probably won't be eaten at all. Which sucks. Also, bought some Larabars, which aren't organic but...I'll try them. I've got my doubts. I've stocked up on fruits, veggies, local breads (not made with sugar), nuts, and Dave will make some homemade popcorn...any other suggestions are terribly welcome!!!! Breakfast will be carb-laden, as you can see...

 

Real Food Challenge - Week #11

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

Review of Week #10 - This past week, the only oils we used were organic, grassfed butter, extra virgin olive oil, and coconut oil. It actually entailed keeping quite an eye on labels (it's sneaky stuff!), but we did well with it. The week wasn't an uber challenge. Whew. 

Week #11 Challenge - Next week's challenge is, well, a challenge. We'll need to "Eat at least ONE locally-grown or raised food at each meal (or at least each day). This includes, but is not limited to: fruits, vegetables, eggs, grains, nuts, meats, and sweeteners like honey,

Hmm. So, I assume this will be a challenge. I've been sick this week, so there's one strike against simply getting the motivation to go shopping anywhere other than my grocery store. We've got obligations Saturday and Sunday, so I'm not sure at what point I'll be able to travel the 60-minute round trip to pick up our local foods. I'll commiserate with the hubby and get back to you with how we figured it out!

Luckily, the boss lady adjusted it to say "at least each day" (so, one a day), but I'd like to try our best to try for more.

For now, our honey is quite local (and I'm drinking LOTS of tea with honey) and I'm hoping to get my hands on a couple dozen local eggs. If I can get some local ground beef or chicken, I'll be doin' somethin'. Lunch will actually be tougher (unless it's leftovers), but the bread from our local bakery might count (at least the flour is NYS milled) for sandwiches.

Needless to say, in March there aren't a lot of vegetables available locally unless we have time (and, again, energy...ugh) to hit up our farmers' market (also 30 minutes each way) and see what root veggies and potatoes they may have.

So, this meal plan is INCREDIBLY loose:

Real Food Challenge - Week #10

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Review of Week #9: This week has been the week of "no refined sugars, only maple syrup and honey." (Some people on our message board were getting scared about the lactose in milk, but as I see it, it's naturally occurring...just like the fructose in fruit. We'll let those rest.) For the most part, we've done well. But, I won't lie: We inadvertently cheated a couple of times. Hadley baked some goodies with his grandma the other day, which were loaded with traditional sugar (she sent some home, but I put it in the freezer to enjoy at a later date). Dave ate some crackers that had some sneaky sugar in them. Our croutons had hidden sugar...dang it. But, mine was probably the worst. I had a kid bring me a cupcake after a very long, stressful day, and I gulped it down without even thinking about the challenge. Oops!!!

Plus, I've got plans this weekend that pretty much demand that I eat "out". Pretty sure even a wrap or sandwich of some sort will include some hidden sugar (wrap your head around THAT one!); and dessert will be a must, so there goes that. I suck.

Otherwise, our meals and snacks have been either devoid of any sweeteners or made with maple syrup. I baked some of Lisa's carrot applesauce muffins with maple syrup and learned FAST to freeze a majority and store the ones I hoped to eat within a day in the fridge. Seriously. I felt awful when I had baked them, tossed them in bags, and sat down to enjoy mine Monday afternoon for a snack...only to find bits of green forming all over the top. INSANE. So, there's my tip of the day: all-natural = refrigerate the darn things. That said, they were super moist and I might have packaged them too soon before cooling, so it's probably part user error.

My other trick of the week involved my coffee. I'm trying to cut back, but my energy has been low (trying to kickstart my at-home yoga sessions again!). So, when I do drink the stuff, I found that the syrup was too heavy tasting and had a definite depth from the maple. So, I tried raw honey, which I usually loathe, but it gave the perfect light sweetened taste without that "bee puke" aftertaste. Plus, it's FULL of antioxidants (the coffee was far from boiling, so they were left intact). Win-win!!

Week #10 Challenge: Next week seems suspiciously easy, so I know it'll be a greater challenge than I expect: No refined oils. So, the only oils we're allowed for the week are: butter, olive oil, and coconut oil. (To be specific, the butter should be at the very least organic from pastured cows, the olive oil should be extra virgin, cold-pressed and unfiltered, and the coconut oil should be organic, unrefined and centrifuged if possible.)

Now, this isn't very different from our norm, except that I have been buying just plain ol' store-brand (or Cabot; VT, woot!) butter. Our CO & EVOO are fine, though. The Dorky Daddy has been teasing me for awhile about the "GMO butter" I've been buying, but the other stuff that our store offers is a) super expensive, b) salted and c) from an organic brand that we don't support. I've swallowed my pride, looked away at the checkout line, and hooked the family up with some Horizon (ugh) butter as well as a package of Kerrygold, just in time for St. Patrick's Day. ;-)

There are sneaky issues here, though. Firstly, we won't be able to eat out AT ALL. (We haven't in awhile, but still. Knowing that you can't sucks.) Secondly, much like with the sugar last week, things are hidden. Our favorite organic cereal bars undoubtedly have some sort of organic vegetable oil in them. Crackers? The same. Pretty much anything we might like to munch one, it's there.

So, my strategy for the week is to once again be proactive. I hope to make some more muffins or a homemade granola bar of some sort, maybe a french toast bake that can stretch a couple of breakfasts, and hopefully some tortillas if I have the time. Plus, even though he's busy with rehearsals (which tosses an extra challenge into dinners), the hubby will probably be called into his stellar popcorn-making service a couple times (he'll make a HUGE batch during the weekend that lasts us about half the week). He usually douses it with a scant amount of butter and a teensy bit of salt, which will suffice. (Side note: Totally impossible to walk by that bowl and not grab a handful here and there. I dare you. Impossible.)

It's looking like a lot of cooking for me this week, though. Eep!

Here are my meal ideas for the week...fingers crossed!

  

Real Food Challenge - Week #9

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Review of Week #8 - This past week was all about listening to internal cues to stop eating when we were full. I took this also to mean no mindless snacking (at least, not on crap ;-)). So, while it sounds simple and we did great with it, we needed a few reminders. I tend to eat a smaller lunch with some mid-morning yogurt and a healthy snack in the afternoon (depending on my schedule) from my pregnancy days, so it actually makes it easier to make it to the next meal. But, yeah, it was fine. Definitely not an issue.

We'll see about this upcoming week, though...

Week #9 - This week will involve eating no refined or artificial sweeteners. In other words, foods and beverages can only be sweetened with a moderate amount of honey or maple syrup...which I'm not that great with. I normally use raw organic sugar in my tea or coffee (a little less than a teaspoon, which is an improvement but still significant). The consequences also mean no baking (unless using maple syrup or honey), none of my usual granola bars, etc. I'm not pleased. (And, spoiler alert, in a few weeks I won't be allowed ANY added sugars. No syrup on pancakes, aaaarrrrgggghhhh!!! #firstworldproblems)

So, my solutions are as follows: Yes, I'm going to bake. We already have pancakes for H's breakfasts for the week (and ours, if we like), but for that granola bar craving I tend to get, I'm trying out the 100 Days of Real Food Whole-Wheat Carrot Applesauce Muffins. Gotta say, I may need to make another dozen mid-week since Dave has already proclaimed his admiration for them. (He's right; they're really good.)

I JUST happened to buy a new organic ketchup which, of course, contains sugar. SO, since I'm jonesin' for some meatloaf (in the guise of meat muffins...something about muffins), I plan on making some sugar-free ketchup. The recipe I found is a non-cook one, which is VERY different from what I've read in my great grandmother's recipe notebook, so we'll see how it comes out. Oh, and I happened to find a pasta sauce that doesn't have sugar, although I could've made my own...but, yeah. I'm not my mother, and that's okay.

I also discovered two breads that meet my personal guidelines for this challenge. Our usual "white" bread is actually a peasant bread from a local bakery. It's not organic, but it has very few ingredients and is completely natural. I'm also super excited to see that the Barowsky's Organic 100% Whole Wheat Bread I buy on occasion is a honey wheat -- no other sugars. Score!

Here's my "guide" for the week:

Real Food Challenge - Week #8

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Review of Week #7: This past week, our challenge was to eat only 100% whole grain foods (breads, pastas, etc.). Let's just say I'm terribly happy that this one was during my week off! Our normal grain intake has generally been either on the organic or "5 ingredients or less" realm, so after a week of terribly dry or gritty foods, I'm looking forward to getting back to our usual way of doing things.

That said, I did a LOT of baking and planning this week. The 100% whole grain bread I had purchased went bad almost immediately (plus, it sucked), so I finally tried a hand-me-down bread machine. While it was also quite dense, I would definitely try a mix of organic all-purpose flour with whole grain in the future. Could be fun to make more! I also had success with these cheesy biscuits -- yes, they tasted "wheaty", but the cheese and garlic powder made them too delicious to care. ;-) So, I'll be taking some of this week along with me and try to have more homemade options available...but I won't be doing it "100%."

Week #8 Challenge: This week will entail listening to our internal cues in order to stop eating when we're full. It's definitely a great thing to be mindful when we eat, so I look forward to this one! It doesn't take more planning than any other challenge and it's a good lesson to teach the little guy. (He will eat an entire HUGE lunch and insist that he's still hungry...when I'm positive he probably isn't.) 

Here are some ideas I have for this week's meals:

    

Real Food Challenge - Week #7

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Happy Valentine's Day, guys! I hope you have wonderfulness planned for the day, be it on your own or with a sweetie. Here's our challenge update...

Review of Week #6: Since this past week was just about avoiding low-fat stuff (which we do anyway), it was pretty much an easy week. We've been maintaining our heightened consumption of fruits/veggies (not as strictly as two per meal, but we're doing well nonetheless), so things are continuing quite smoothly, I think. Oh, and I made a skillet meal with lentils (cooked on the side), kale, spinach and apple chicken sausage last Saturday with our "trying new foods" challenge. Dave and I liked it quite a lot. H couldn't get past the grittiness of the lentils. Totally expected.

Random Observation: So, I mentioned this to Dave and he said, "have you told your readers?" I was planning on adding my "this is what I learned" thoughts at the end of all of the challenges, but I figured I'd just mention it briefly here (for his sake). We all know that eating healthier is more expensive, but this has definitely been a bigger issue than usual. The fact that we've been grocery shopping weekly rather than bi-weekly, it has upped the cost quite a bit. I'm hoping to try planning bi-weekly for meals rather than weekly when I'm able to again, but in the meantime...ka-ching.

Week #7 Challenge: Halfway point! This week is all about consuming 100% whole-grain stuff. This is what I would call more of a "challenge." The bread we use is usually a locally-made, no-artificial-ingredients-or-preservatives peasant bread, but it's not whole wheat. Plus, our pastas are usually organic but "traditional" durum variety, simply because we don't like the taste of the whole wheat stuff. However, I'm hoping to try at least one whole-wheat bread recipe this week just to see if I'm capable, and maybe make some pizza dough while I'm at it. Our diets will definitely shift back into the "let's eat more fruits 'n vegetables" since we won't be filling up with as much starchy stuff. ;-) At least, that's my prediction.

Here's an attempt at our meal ideas for the week:

Real Food Challenge - Week #6

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Week #5 Review: This week's challenge was to try two new foods. I'm pretty sure I've made some things with lentils before, but I couldn't for the life of me remember what or how or how they were received, so I'm calling lentils a "new" food. I also took this week as the opportunity to sneak some kale in. I was a little off my game this week, so I didn't get to even considering using the stuff until later in the week. Hence, I'll be combining the two for dinner tonight. Slacker!

(Update on Week #4: I only ended up eating one meal at a to-go joint during our funeral trip since the church and friends of the family provided a TON of home-cooked meals. Still not always the healthiest, but it was nice to only "cheat" once on the road.)

Week #6 Challenge: "Do not eat any food products that are labeled as "low-fat," "lite," "light," "reduced fat," or "nonfat." The reason for this can be seen here.

Next week is pretty much a "just keep on doin' what you're doin'" sort of week because we've already cut out all light/low-fat/reduced fat foods from our diet. Our yogurt is whole milk (except Hadman, who has a "baby" yogurt made with whole milk; I'm not moving him up to the "next level" because there's added sugar and they're lower in fat, which isn't what his lil' body needs), as is the milk we purchase. So... *shrugs* Pretty easy.

So, that said...here's our meal "inspiration" for the week. (I'm known to switch out one or two meals here and there as availability of energy and ingredients sees fit.)

Real Food Challenge - Week #5

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Review of Week #4: I thought this week was going to be a relatively easy week. All I needed to do was avoid deep-fried foods and fast food restaurants. Up until today, I've done it, mainly because that's our usual routine anyway. But, today I'm heading with some family to a funeral several hours away. (Hubby's staying home with the munchkin; I'm super lucky that way.) With all that traveling (and that unknown of where/what we're going to eat next), I'm assuming that there will probably be at least one fast food stop.

And, y'know what? It's fine. It "breaks the rules" for this week, but considering we eat fast food 1-2 times a year (or, um, less), we're doing fine. I'm not stressing. It is what it is, and I'm going to try to bring a couple of apples/granola bars along to help with hunger along the way. I have noticed that my body doesn't react kindly to even "regular" restaurant foods these days, so I'm sure I'll regret whatever I end up eating.

Week #5 Challenge: This week is a fun challenge, actually. I've been kind of looking forward to it. We need to try at least 2 new whole foods that we've never tried before. Guess what that means. WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO TRY KALE.

I've gotta figure out what the second item is, but given that we're not the most adventurous of families, palette-wise, there's probably a list of new foods to choose from. It also depends on what's available at the grocery store, since I have zero time to do any extra shopping at a farmers' market this weekend. (Bummer, but such is life.)

That said, this meal plan is flexible and last week I altered it dramatically. It's still a good jumping-off point, though, and I figure I'll still be using it this week!

Real Food Challenge - Week #4

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Review of Week #3: So, this week was all about cutting back on meat consumption and eating only locally-raised meat. I loved the idea of the thing, but had to get a little creative to get our hands on some. Our favorite local market was during a different weekend, so we missed it. Instead, I sent my savior husband to a local store that happens to provide local, organic, grassfed meat. I was disappointed at the cost of pork and the fact that they had no chicken, so we grabbed two pounds of ground beef and went with it.

I've just gotta say that during this whole challenge, the way to succeed is MEAL PLANNING. I do it in a casual, less structured way -- by creating a list of possible meals for the week rather than saying "Tuesday is taco day and it's set in stone!" For example, we usually eat pizza on Fridays, but for some reason I was jonesin' for it on Wednesday. So, I sauteed some onion and a handful of the beef (our first meal with meat for the week) to top the pizza with, served it with salads and TADA! Simple. Plus, keeping the list written on our fridge's dry erase board lets me get home from school and start cooking right away rather than racking my brain for ideas.

So far, so good. We still have the weekend to go, but we're doing fine. I had to run to the store for some supplies last night, which delayed my cooking (but I didn't have the stuff on hand to make a slow cooker soup...double-edged sword), but it's a first-world problem.

Week #4 Challenge: This week is going to be E-A-S-Y. The challenge is twofold: No fast food (sit-down restaurants are okay, which is AWESOME because we've got a date night planned) and nothing deep-fried. We don't use things like hard taco shells (deep-fried) and if we eat fries, they are healthily baked. I'm also thinking that I'd like to try baking some chicken fingers just to see how it goes; I did it once before, but I didn't like the mess of the method.

Soooooo, purdy easy. We have the option to either stack the challenges (so that by the end we're doing all 14 things habitually) or try each week separately to see how it works for our families. Right now, I'm trying to maintain the 6-fruits/veggies a day challenge, having little to no sugar in my coffee/tea, and now think that I'll try to keep more local meats in the freezer and attempt more vegetarian meals each week. It's actually easier than I thought, although I'd like to put more thought into the balance of nutrients we're getting. So, I'd say that we've got a "modified stacked" approach going on, and I like it.

Here's my meal "plan" for week #4:

Real Food Challenge - Week #3

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies. And stuff.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of grocery prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Review of Week #2: The second week of the challenge was a pretty simple week. The only beverages allowed were as follows: water, milk (suggested organic & whole, which we do anyway), coffee, tea, and wine in moderation (one a day). ONE glass of juice was allowed, mostly so that if anyone hates water they could spritz a bit of juice in for some flavor.

I'm not a soda drinker anymore -- I'll have a couple per year. No, seriously. So, the only part of this that took me anywhere outside my comfort zone was that the only sweeteners allowed in one's coffee or tea was honey (ew, bee barf; love bees, hate the taste) or maple syrup (the 100% awesome quality organic stuff is great, but leaves a "deeply flavored" aftertaste). I don't drink a ton of coffee, but since it was allowed and I needed "caffeine motivation", I tried the maple syrup with a splash of milk. Hmm. Okay, but honestly tasted like...maybe...almost...TOO sweet?

Okay, okay, hold the phones. Those who have known me for any amount of time know that I'm a sugar consumer. I used to use 4-5 teaspoons of sugar in each small cup of coffee. *ahem* And was passionately mocked by family and friends for it. Over time, I've cut it down to about 1 1/2 (which is big for me). But, the fact that just yesterday, I took a mug with coffee and a splash of milk to work and thought it was fine...well, let's just say I'm expecting a chunk of the earth to explode. I'm pretty pleasantly surprised.

I'm hoping to maintain this, although if I'm in need of a sweet caffeine fix, I'll probably try one of the recipes for a NATURAL creamer replacement (something with cinnamon or what have you mixed in so that I don't notice the maple syrupy goodness). Oh, and while I used to have the super rare caramel macchiato (like, also twice a year) at a random Starbucks, I'm not even sure I'd enjoy that anymore. I'd probably get a latte. MAYBE a crappy flavor shot, just for a "treat", but even then...not sure it's a treat anymore. So, I'd call Week #2 a success.

Side note: Hadley still drank juice. I'm bending rules 'cuz he's...y'know...2 1/2. He had far more milk and water than usual and no more than his watered-down cup of organic juice each day, so I'm happy. 

Week #3 Challenge: $#@% just got real. This week will actually be quite the challenge, unlike this past week. We're "allowed" to eat only 3-4 (which means, um, 4) meals containing only locally-raised meat; the rest of the meals are essentially vegetarian. PLUS, whatever recipes we choose should involve meat in a supporting role rather than the star. Hmm. That's. Um. Crap.

I'm not one of those "Must. Eat. Protein." people. Our bodies actually don't need the "one vast serving per meal" amount of protein that folks seem ingrained to tout. (Mom.) But, I do want to make sure that we all get enough. I could easily do pancakes for every meal, but it's not healthy for any of us. At least I'm trying to maintain a semblance of the 6-per-day fruits and veggies, so we're definitely still getting our fill of nutrients. It just throws quite the monkey wrench into things. And stuff.

I definitely have a love-hate relationship with this week's challenge. I fully understand the reason behind it. I haven't had the greatest success at trying a flexitarian meal plan. I've made "meatless" meals and was proud of them, but they weren't that healthy. Like, pasta So, this is definitely a week that I hope to learn from. I'm excited to see whether this is one of those "this is soooo hard!!!" sort of weeks or more of a "this is easier than I thought, I can do this!" week. Fingers crossed!

Here's my flexible meal plan "schedule" for the week:

Caveat #1: The asterisks imply that there may or may not be some local meat involved, depending on what we can pick up at a local market. Like, if we can find locally-raised pork or bacon, it'll go into the potato soup. If we find chicken breasts, I'll cook them up for the stir-fry and salads. Also, this is a general guide that helps TREMENDOUSLY when I'm having that, "What to have for dinner?" blank moment. But, if I decide that we haven't had pasta in awhile (which we haven't), I might switch that out for the omelet night, for example, with some salads on the side. We're nothing if not flexible.

Caveat #2: Oh, and while we're allowed 3-4 meals including meat, if there are leftovers from a particular dinner, you'd better know we're using them for lunch. That's how we're playing that game. Leftovers are my saving grace, dudes.

So, that's the latest! Looking ahead, the following few weeks look pretty easy again (and even fun!), so I'm lucky for the most part! Now, if I could get Hadley to eat more of these meals, I'd really be getting some place.

Have a great weekend (and happy Martin Luther King, Jr. Day!) and good luck to any fellow challenge friends!

Real Food Challenge - Week Two

For 14 weeks, the family and I are undertaking a Real Food Challenge (put forth by the awesome 100 Days of Real Food blog). I'm hoping to check in about any struggles and successes along the way each week. Our ultimate goal is to cut down on our dependence on processed foods and start using some cleaner fuels to energize our bodies.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to each participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continuing doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group (I've actually joined an offshoot that's super supportive and far more focused) that's there to share, answer and support.

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Review of Week #1: We officially started on Monday (through this Sunday, although we're going to attempt to keep up the increase in fruit 'n veg), which also happened to be the first day for all of us to return to work. Thanks to some prepping over the weekend, some mornings and evenings (like making some ranch dressing for dipping and chopping veggies for snacking and tossing into meals) it was simpler than it would have been otherwise.

I loved having my meal plan, which you can see in my Week One post, jotted down on our white board, although I ended up switching out a couple of alternatives, like chicken fajitas (filled with veggies and with a sweet potato on the side) instead of a quesadilla...which isn't really a huge change. But, yeah, I love having the structure and a quick choice for meal planning rather than that daily "what are we going to eat today?" feeling, as well as the slight flexibility of being able to switch out an equally healthy alternative. Ahhh. Yup, I'd say that's the trick here.

The challenges this week? Well, all that prepping did take up more time, and we were generally exhausted trying to get back into a routine (and still are), but we're handling it all just fine. Also, although Hadley's not usually a very picky eater, he didn't eat a few of our meals. That mixed with some teething (molar!!!) meant that I got pretty creative and had to have a conversation with myself about whether or not he HAD to have the same dinner as us every night. My answer? No. And it's not a big deal. (I usually subscribe to the "I'm not a short order cook!" concept.)

Gonna keep working on this as we move forward, particularly finding meals that he WILL eat (along with us) that can become staples. Fingers crossed!

This week is all about beverages. Namely, limiting them to coffee, tea, water and milk (and sweetened only with a bit of honey or 100% real maple syrup). I'd like to say this is an easy one - it is, really - but Hadley's a juice drinker. Plus, I can't completely control what he's given, aside from the meals I send, throughout work days. Also, I'm a sugar-user in my coffee and tea, so I'll either be going without (not a huge deal) or trying a new method this week. {I tend to hate honey, not sure why. We'll see how it goes.}

Oh, and since one serving of juice is allowed during the week, I'm not sweating Hadley's intake. He's only supposed to consume one sippy cup of it daily (and that's watered halfway), so I'm not sweating it. I'd like to get him on to mostly water one day, anyway, and he also drinks milk, but at his age, I'm not concerned. Otherwise, since this week is so simple, I'm going to try to build it on top of the "eat more veggies" thing. If I look at the day as "eat at least six fruits and vegetables, total" it's not that bad. I've always brought an apple for lunch, so if I bring along carrots to munch or celery and hummus for an additional snack or add-on to lunch, I'll be good. It definitely helps me to think about cleaner breakfasts than just, like, toast. ;-)

Here's my food plan for the upcoming week:

{WW = Whole Wheat}

Can't wait to make our veggie pizza tonight! Is anyone else making some healthier choices lately? :-) Let me know in the comments!

Real Food Challenge - Week One

Since one of my intentions for 2015 is for our family to eat cleaner, less processed foods, it was damn near providence that I saw 100 Days of Real Food's 14-week challenge, just in time for the new year. Talk about luck! After running by the weekly challenges with Dave (and having him totally and excitedly on board), I signed up.

So, here's how it works. I'll get an email every Thursday for the next 14 weeks (the actual eating challenge will start on Sunday or Monday for 7 days, so there are a couple of days of prep built in). Each email outlines the "rules" for that particular week. It's up to the participant as to whether or not they'd like to try each week independently or build on top of the prior week. In other words, continue doing the prior weeks while attempting the new weeks, if that makes sense. There's also a very active Facebook group that's sharing and answering and supporting. 

I'm trying to be flexible in this while still adhering to the rules, so I can't say whether I'll be doing the "build-on" method or the "one week at a time" method. I will, however, be following the rules as best I can. To help with figuring out what groceries we need to get weekly, I'm trying to make a loose menu for each week. Here's this week's (which is to eat at least two fruits/vegetables with each meal): 

Some explanation: Whole wheat wraps would also include a natural lunch meat like turkey or ham along with the ingredients listed (and probably something more); the sandwich would have a side of things like carrots/cauliflower/peppers to dip into hummus or a healthy ranch; all other items listed are homemade (not canned soup or bought pizza). 

We may end up substituting other dinners if we don't feel like, say, veggie quesadillas or I don't feel up to making something, but it'll still be within the rules. Let's just say we're all salad people (Hadley's even into them, with a little ranch) and all of the dinners would include an additional veg on the side. Oh, and you'll also see that there aren't always seven items for the week per mealtime; this is mainly because we'll sometimes repeat a meal (like have oatmeal twice in a work week).

I'll also have to make some substitutions for our two-year-old. He usually eats pancakes every morning during the work week, so I may continue this but ensuring that it's a real fruit-based one with a banana or orange slices on the side (although he'll probably devour a smoothie or omelet on the weekend when we've got the time). He's also not quite at the "chewing a carrot" stage (he takes HUGE bites, so...no) so he'll get cooked, frozen (organic) veggies along with a sandwich or a ham-and-cheese wrap with extra fruit and veggies.

Check out the above link to see if you'd like to see what the other weeks entail or if you are interested in signing up (better late than never!) There are a zillion ways to make this work for you and your family, so don't take my loose menu as "the" way. And I hope to let you know how the first week goes next week (Thursday or Friday), along with my menu for the following week.

Happy eating!